Group promises to rip down Andrew Jackson statue

A group has promised to rip down the Andrew Jackson statue on Saturday. (FOX 8)

NEW ORLEANS (WVUE) -

A group is promising to rip down the Andrew Jackson statue in Jackson Square this weekend. They say the City of New Orleans is dragging its feet on the removal of four Confederate-era monuments set for removal.

The Jackson statue is not one of them.

The group Take 'Em Down NOLA says this is not a threat, it's a promise. And they say they have waited long enough for the removal of what they see as monuments that have been erected to promote white supremacy.

The group leader, Malcolm Suber spoke in front of a crowd of about a dozen Thursday in front of New Orleans City Hall.

But he is suggesting that hundreds, and maybe even thousands, of people will be with him Saturday as he plans to tear down the Andrew Jackson statue. Suber and his group have not said how exactly they plan on removing the large statue in the French Quarter.

The group says because Jackson was a slave owner and responsible for the Trail of Tears he should not be honored in such a way.

And for this weekend, Suber is advising the New Orleans police to stay away from the area while the demonstration takes place.

“What is a civic duty as we see it and we also understand this is civil disobedience. We know that by law we should not be able to remove this without a permit, without the permission of the city fathers,” Suber said. “But they have waited too long and it's been nine months since last December and nothing has progressed, and for that reason we decided we would have to take action.”

The New Orleans Police Department has not released anything specific, only saying they will monitor the situation. Suber and others in attendance Thursday say they are prepared to go to jail for their cause.

The protest is scheduled to start at 1 p.m. this Saturday. The group plans to march from Congo Square to the Jackson statue.